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(N0 Model.) P. w. BRITTS.

RADIATOR REGULATOR. No. 387,552. Patented Aug. 7, 1888.

INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N EH5, Phnm-Lnho n ner. Washington. 0.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

PETER W. BRITTS, OF GUNNISON, COLORADO.

RADIATOR-REGULATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,552, dated August7, 1888.

Application filed October 31, 1887. Serial No. 253,852.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER WINFRED BRITTS, of Gunnison, in the county ofGunnison and State of Colorado, have invented a new and ImprovedRadiator-Regulator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved device forcontrolling and regulating the heat given off by a steam-radiator.

The invention consists of an adjustable float operating in a tankconnected with the radiator, a weighted lever on which said floatoperates, and a valve connected with said weighted lever for regulatingthe outflow of the water of condensation from the radiator.

The invention also consists in the construction and arrangement ofcertain parts and de tails and combinations of the same, as will befully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of my improvement. Fig. 2 is anenlarged sectional plan view of the same on the line a: w of Fig. 1, andFig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of a modified form of myimprovement.

The steamradiator A, of any approved construction, is connected at itstop and bottom by the pipes 13 and C, respectively, with the upper andlower ends of the tank D placed alongside of the radiator A, so as toestablish a steam and water connection with the radiator A, whereby thewater-level is the same in both. The tank D is connected at the top withthe steam-supply pipe E, provided with the usual valve. The bottom ofthe tank D is provided with a water-outlet pipe, F, leading to theboiler, and provided with agate-valve, G, having a valve-rod, H,pivotally secured to a weighted lever I, fastenedon a sleeve, K, turningin suitable hearings on the hollow branch arm D, extending at rightangles from the upper end of the tank D.

Through the sleeve K passes a shaft, J, carrying on its outer end apinion, O, meshing into a gear-wheel, L, mounted to turn on a studsecured on the weighted lever I. A

(No model.)

springpawl, N, is fastened by one end to the lever-arm l and engageswith its free end the teeth of the gear-wheel L, so as to prevent areturn movement of the pinion O and its shaft J. The latter is alsoprovided on its outer end with a crank-arm, P, for turning the shaft. Onthe inner end of the latter, inside of the branch arm D, is secured adrum, Q, on which winds one end of the chain or rope R, passing over apulley, S, held on the free end of an arm, T, secured to the sleeve K onthe inside of the hollow branch arm D. The arm T, the sleeve K, and theweighted lever I thus form one piece, so that when the arm T swingsdownward the weighted lever Iswings upward, and vice versa.

The pulley S projects to about the middle of the tank D, and the rope orchain R, passing over said pulley S, extends downward and carries at itslower end a weighted float, U, which rises and. falls with thewater-level in the tank D and in the radiator A. Suitable stuffing-boxesare employed to make the sleeve K steam-tight on the hollow arm D.

On the gear-wheel L is held a pointer, L, for indicating the position ofthe float U after it has been adjusted.

The operation is as follows: The float U can be raised or lowered toanydesired height in the tank D by turning the crank-arm P anddisengaging temporarily the pawl N of the wheel L. The turning of theshaft J causes the pinion O to turn the gear-wheel L, which, with itspointer L,assumes a certain position, according to the height of thefloat U in the tank D, so that the pointer L indicates the respectiveheight of the float U in said tank. When the float is adjusted, the pawlN is again thrown in contact with the gear-wheel L, thus preventing anunwinding of the chain R from the drum Q, which, with its shaft J, isheld in a locked position by said pawl N. The weight of the float Uexerts its pressure against the arm T, which, with the weighted arm I,is thus held in a normal position, so that the valve G remains closed.The steam entering the radiator A through the supply-pipe E,the tank D,and the pipe B can now condense,and the water of condensationaccumulates in the radiator A and the tank D. When sufficient water hasaccumulated, the float U rises with the water-level, thus relieving thearm T of its weight, whereby the weighted leverarm I swings downward andby the rod H opens the valve G, so that the surplus water in theradiator flows out through the pipe F until the normal level is reached.The float U moves downward with the falling of the water-level and againexerts its pressure on the arm T, which thus swings downward and turnsthe sleeve K, whereby the weighted lever-arm I is again swung upward,thus closing the valve G and retaining the water in the radiator A at anormal level.

By adjusting the position of the float U in the tank D, I am enabled tovary the height of the water to any desired normal level, so that thesteam-space in the radiator A is increased or diminished, as desired.The radiation of heat from the radi :tor is thus similarly increased ordiminished according to the amount of steam permitted to occupy theradiator A.

Instead of securing the valve-rod H to the lever-arm I, I may also placetherod H inside of the tank B, as shown in Fig. 3, and connect the saidrod H to the arm '1, instead of the weighted lever-arm I. The gate-valveG operates over the opening of the pipe T into the tank D in the samemanner as above de scribed-that is, when the float U rises the valve Gis lifted and establishes connection between the outlet-pipe F and thetank D.

I do not limit myself to the special float and connections shown anddescribed, as any adjustable float connected with the waste-valve can beused for the same purpose. In thesame manner a weight'balanced float ora spring balanced adjustable float can be employed with the same resultas stated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a radiator, of a tank connected at top andbottom with the radiator and provided with an inlet and outlet pipe. avalve for opening and closing the outlet-pipe, a weighted leverconnected to said valve, and a float in the tank and connected to theweighted lever, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a radiator, of a tank connected at top andbottom with the radiator and provided with an inlet and outlet pipe, avalve in the outlet-pipe, a weighted lever provided with an armprojecting into the tank, a pulley on the said arm, a float in the tank,a chain secured to the float and passing over the pulley, and aconnection between the valve and weighted lever, substantially asdescribed.

- 3. The combi nation, with a tank constructed to be connected to theradiator at top and bottom and provided with a lateral extension and aninlet and outlet pipe,aud a valve in the outlet-pipe, of ashaftjournaled in the lateral extension and provided with a drum and apinion, a weighted lever mounted on the shaft and provided with a pinionmeshing thepinion on the said shaft, and with an inwardly-projecting armcarrying apullcy,a chain on the drum, a float on the end of the chain,and a connection between the valve in the outlet-pipe and the weightedlever, substantially as described.

4. The eombination,with a tank constructed to be connected to a radiatorprovided with a lateral extension and inlet and outlet pipes, and avalve in the outlet-pipe, of a shaft journaled in the lateral extensionand pro vided with a drum and pinion, a sleeve on the shaft providedwith an inwardly-projecting arm carrying a pulley and a weighted levercarrying a pinion meshing with the pinion on the said shaft, a pawlengaging the pinion 0n the weighted lever, a chain on the drum andhaving a float at its end, and a rod connecting the valve in theoutlet-pipe with the weighted lever, substantially as described.

PETER W. BRITTS. Witnesses:

C. T. Sims, 0. G. BENNETT.

